While sliders can work – the one on the Sony PSP is a good example, and the 3DS slider was good – in this configuration, it just feels odd, especially when used with the left analogue stick for twin-stick controls. Unfortunately, the second stick (on the right of the unit) is still a slider that sits very low in the casing. While we didn't think the controls on the original model were all that bad personally, the Pocket 2+ is a marked improvement in this regard. The D-pad has been raised quite a bit and is much more pleasing to use the same has been done to the four action buttons. While it appears to be physically the same, there are some significant changes here – mainly relating to the controls. The handheld is available in a range of colours, and the Nintendo influence is clear – three of those options are based on the SNES, Game Boy and GameCube, the latter being the one we're reviewing here. The body remains identical, as does the 3.5-inch 640 x 480-pixel display – however, the latter now has a touch interface, which solves one of the biggest complaints we had with the original Pocket 2.

However, as we alluded to in that opening paragraph, you'd be forgiven for assuming this is the same system as the standard Retroid Pocket 2 at first glance. As before, it's an Android-powered device with a focus on gaming and emulation, but the team at GoRetroid has been hard at work fixing some of the issues we had with the original – as well as boosting its internal specifications.

You may well look at images of the shiny new Retroid Pocket 2+ and think you've seen it somewhere else before – that's because this is an iteration on the original Retroid Pocket 2, which we covered last year.

Retroid pocket 2 play store